


Blood is Thicker Than Water

by Magnus77



Category: Terra Nova (TV)
Genre: Angst/Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family/Drama
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-23
Updated: 2017-03-06
Packaged: 2017-12-24 10:05:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/938674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magnus77/pseuds/Magnus77
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Jim Shannon had a younger brother? And how would his existance impact on the story?</p><p>This is the first time I'm posting anything on this site, originaly this story is posted on FF.Net my account name there is Fenrisulven13</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. It All Starts With Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is my first story so bear with me as writing well is NOT one of my strengths I would appreciate reviews on this.  
> Also I first posted this on Fanfiction.net where there is more of this story, I may post more here depending on the reception.

2129

Shannon apartment

Jim had just finished the police academy at age 20 and was now dating Elisabeth who was working at the state hospital in Chicago, Jim´s father Richard had not been a good father always drinking and beating up on both his sons and their mother when Jim started the academy Richard moved over all his frustration unto Ben their mother Jane tried her best but could not stand up to Richard and Ben always tried to stand up to his father to protect his mother the same as Jim usually did before he went off to the academy but at age 10 being much smaller than his father and only made Richard beat him even worse.

Since Richard had gotten fired years earlier and rather spent his days drinking while Jane had to work double shifts to support her remaining son.

Jane came home coughing again the week before she noticed she had been coughing up blood but hadn't gone to the hospital as they needed the money,

Richard sat on the couch watching TV and drinking as usual she could hear some music being played from Ben's room all of a sudden she was overcome with another coughing fit that made her fall down

Richard had not heard her come in as he dropped the bottle he was merrily emptying it's contents pouring out on the floor. "Look what you made me do woman…now STOP THAT DAMN NOISE!"

He got up and walked unsteadily up to her Jane was still coughing heavily blood coming through her mouth, Richard kicked her in the stomach ,She was always holding him back AND those two brats of hers. "I SAID STOP THAT DAMN NOISE!"

Ben was playing a game on his computer pad when he heard his father yelling , He ran out of his room only to see his mother lying on the floor and his father kicking her he had always hated that man , He ran in front of him putting himself in between Richard and Jane.

"YOU LEAVE HER ALONE" he yelled he did not have to wait long before the first fist came flying his way.

Richard kept beating on Ben, The little shit dared to take tone with him. "I'LL TEACH YOU TO RESPECT ME YOU LITTLE PUNK" he practically screamed as he continued to punch him the boy tried to fight back but it was useless as Richard was much bigger and stronger Richard simply threw Ben against the door after which he even kicked him in the chest for good measure.

Richard heard some noise in the apartment complex apparently some nosy neighbors had heard him he grabbed his jacket and went out the door leaving both his wife and son lying lifeless on the floor.

Chicago Mercy hospital

Elisabeth was working late that night and was talking to the desk nurse when the ambulance personnel brought in two stretchers a woman and a young boy both looked clearly beaten,

"What have we here?" she asked with all the calm she had learned at medical school.

"Possible domestic violence" the personnel answered.

When Elisabeth heard them announce them as Jane and Ben Shannon her heart practically stopped Jim had told her about his family and she had even met both Ben and Jane a couple of times so she knew them both.

Elisabeth and another doctor immediately took Ben to the OR and a couple more took away Jane the Ambulance personnel said her condition was critical "We scanned her in the ambulance it looks like pulmo replasia" one of them said.

Chicago PD 23rd precinct

Jim was still doing some paper work when the desk sergeant told him that his mother and brother had been taken to the hospital he didn't even wait for permission as he flew of his desk and out of the building and took the first bus to Mercy hospital where his fiancée worked as well .

Well that's the first chapter I apologize if my writing is a little "jumpy" I have never written a story like this before so give a guy a break!


	2. Tears of Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben have been taken to the hospital, and are in bad shape

OH! I forgot about the disclaimer yes I do not own Terra Nova which is damn obvious because if I had it would not have been cancelled and I also do not own any of the characters except the ones I created myself !

…Mercy hospital…

Jim entered the room and stared at the bed where his little brother was laying unconscious, He had been told earlier that Jane had been declared DOA.

Ben´s condition had been worse than they thought at first, with a couple of cracked ribs and some other internal injuries. He almost died.

"Goddamn that coward" Jim muttered under his breath.

He just KNEW it had to be their father. He felt a petite hand on his shoulder. He turned around to see Elisabeth's face. There was a tear rolling down her cheek.

"I´m sorry Jim… God I´m so sorry", she whispered as he embraced her in a hug, which she returned.

Earlier Jim had been to the morgue to see their mother. There was a cop at the hospital Jim talked to who filled him in that it was most likely domestic violence based on statements from the neighbors. Jim hugged Elisabeth for a while before he walked up to Ben.

"I´ll make this right Ben I promise" he said.

…Three weeks later Shannon apartment…

After the court had given Jim full custody as Ben´s legal guardian, Jim, Ben and Elisabeth had gone back to the apartment to clear it out.

Richard had been arrested and confessed and had even had the nerve to look smug about it. Jim had to be restrained by his fellow police officers before he could launch himself at his father in the police precinct, Richard was promptly prosecuted for voluntary manslaughter and severe child abuse among other things.

Now they were in the apartment where both Jim and Ben had grown up in. Their grandfather had loved them, and had kept Richard from doing anything stupid, but after he died the beatings started.

Ben stared at the few drops of dried blood on the carpet were their mother had been laying, and both Jim and Elisabeth could see the boy struggling to keep the tears of sorrow and anger back. Jim, above all, knew how much Ben looked up to him, and that Ben refused to let Jim see him cry. Elisabeth could see it too, and felt a pang of pain at Ben´s stubborn pride. She saw the same pride in Jim´s eyes every time she looked at him as well, and loved him for it. Ben was just a boy, and should not have had to grow up this fast.

"Why are men so hard-headed about crying?" she thought as she looked over at Jim who caught the hint.

"I´ll start packing things up here. Why don´t you two go check out Ben´s room?" he asked.

When they entered Ben´s room, Ben stopped. Elisabeth could see the tears starting to fall down his face. Her heart nearly broke with relief as she embraced him, he buried his face on her  
shoulder, and the tears came at last. He sobbed quietly, as she held him and letting her tears fall as well.

…2133…Shannon residence…

When Elisabeth got pregnant with her second child, they were given a choice. Ben, now at age 14, was still legally a child. The Shannon's were given a choice: either Elisabeth had to abort her child, or Ben had to be taken away. Jim was furious. It took all his self control not to physically throw the population law official out.

"Mr. Shannon we are not suggesting we put him in one of those camps. There are alternatives after all", she said.

"Like WHAT - basic training?", Jim practically spat.

He knew full well the basic training for any child that was taken like this would most likely be used as gun fodder.

"I´m sorry, but the law is the law Mr. Shannon. A family is four, and it doesn´t matter if Benjamin is your brother. Yes, he will be taken care of. If you are no longer his legal guardian, your wife would not have to abort her child, and he would be allowed to visit", the official continued.

"When will I have to leave?" Ben asked.

"BEN!" both Jim and Elisabeth almost shouted in unison, but it didn´t deter him.

When Jim and Elisabeth took him in, and later when Josh was born, he vowed that he would do ANYTHING for them. Jim was his brother, and Elisabeth was like a sister to him. Personally, he could understand the logic behind the population, law but he would be damned if he ever agreed with it.

"Jim… Liz… we will still be family. This is for the best. I will NOT have you abort your baby because of me!"

The population official gave a hint of a smile.

"You can stay until you´re 15, and after that you will be enrolled at the state military academy!" she said.

Jim huffed at the word academy; he knew that if they agreed with this, Ben would legally be an unwanted child, even if he was ANYTHING but unwanted to Jim and Elisabeth. Whenever Jim had to work or was thrown out by her during Elisabeth´s first pregnancy, it was always Ben that stayed at home. Sometimes he even played the fiddle he got from Jim and Ben´s grandfather for her, which always seemed to cheer her up.

Elisabeth was ready to go into tears.

"DAMN your stubborn pride Ben. You can´t do this - it´s a death sentence!", she cried out.

She ran into the bedroom she shared with Jim. With all the savage conflicts of the modern age, she knew Ben was likely to get killed.

"Since Ben will be a special case, he will go into the youth program directly under…", the official searched some documents on her computer pad, "Ah! General Philbrick. He´s known to be tough I´ve been told - but fair!".

Jim looked at Ben trying to stare him down, but Ben didn´t flinch and simply stared back with determination in his eyes, "It´s for the best Jim. I made a promise to never let you or Liz OR your kids suffer especially not because of me!"

Jim felt an immense pride at how mature Ben was, even though he could see he was scared, despite his attempts to hide it.  
Jim finally relented,

"All right. Where do I sign?" Jim said to the official who simply offered up her pad.

Jim signed the document literally giving over his brother to the very people he hated with a passion and Ben signed his own name as well.

…Somalia 2137…

Axis psi-ops had really done a number on his unit with their chemical attack. At first, they thought it was poison gas or something. Nothing could have prepared them for what happened over the next few hours, as everyone started hallucinating. Then followed extreme paranoia, and all of a sudden, friend became foe.

It was like a slaughter house when they were finally rescued. They found Ben sitting and holding his blood stained combat knife in his hands. He was covered in blood - mostly that of his comrades, as the hallucinogenic, as well as paranoia inducing compound. started to leave his system .

"What happened here soldier?" a stern voice asked in a southern accent.

Ben looked around as if in a haze, and looked up at a grizzled grey-haired man in uniform and combat armor. Before he could answer, a woman with black hair in a ponytail, who had been examining him and the other affected soldiers said "Looks like some Axis psi-ops toys, just like with the other survivors, sir. We´re not likely to get anything coherent from him until it´s completely out of his system".

Ben was put on a stretcher and loaded together with what was left of his company on a helicopter. He tiredly looked up at the older officer.

"What´s your name son" the officer asked with a gentler voice this time.

"Private Ben Shannon sir", he said with as steady a voice as he could.

He tried to look tougher, which of course, failed miserably. The older man smiled warmly, which almost made him look like some long since extinct predator, "Well, son. My name is Captain Nathaniel Taylor and the nice lady who´s patching you up is Sergeant Alicia Washington."

The sergeant nodded simply at him before she gave him a needle with something that made him very sleepy, all he wanted now was to get home to Jim and Elisabeth and Josh and Maddy and forget this nightmare ever happened…..but could he?

Jim had a fitful rest as he thought, "My father had also been a soldier. Was it something like THIS that turned him into such an asshole? Could Ben become just like him? He certainly had the same anger problems."

Darkness took him as he fell asleep.

After a few weeks in a Veterans Hospital, Jim and Elisabeth came and brought him home, as he was given an extended leave when they got home he was accosted by the kids.

"UNCLE BEN!" both Josh and Maddy shouted. as they lunged at him and he captured them in a crushing hug.

He loved these kids more than his own life. The three month tour in Somalia was what he literally thought of as hell. He was absolutely disgusted by the very concept of war, but for his family he would gladly walk through hellfire just to make sure they were kept safe.

…Hope Plaza 2149…

Ben waited in the secure area with the guard Elisabeth had bribed to help them bring Jim Zoe and Ben to Terra Nova. It would be risky, but Ben and Elisabeth had planned it out carefully with some friends Jim was already on his way….or so they hoped.

When Zoe was born, Ben was just as overjoyed as Jim and Elisabeth, but he knew they could never keep her hidden forever. The law was after all the law. HOW he hated that damn word. At the moment Zoe was in a large pack on the floor sleeping from the sedative she´d been given. In his own pack was Ben´s most treasured belonging - his fiddle - and a large mean looking knife he once took off a Phoenix mercenary that had butchered and raped children in a village in Somalia. Even though the man had technically been an allied soldier, he felt no remorse in killing him with his own knife.

He´d officially gone AWOL to help get Jim out of jail AND get both himself and Zoe into Hope Plaza, so by now he was himself a law breaker. Though would most likely serve a lot longer time than Jim, he was interrupted in his musings when the nearby door opened to reveal Jim.

"What the hell took you so long Jim?" Ben asked anxiously.

"I got a little sidetracked, plus the traffic was a little hectic. Apparently the military police is out chasing some fool that´s gone AWOL. Know anything about that, little brother?" Jim said with a little hint of amusement in his voice before he hugged him.

"You´re late, you´ve got the money?" said the guard.

Jim simply threw the bag he was carrying into the man's arms, "If you get caught, I don´t know you all right?"

The guard continued, "Yeah yeah you´ve got your money!"

Jim said angrily before he turned to Ben, "well Benny let´s get going shall we?"

Ben narrowed his eyes.

"I HATE when you call me that Jimmie!" Ben said back to him.

They used to tease each other using such pet names. Of course their grandfather had used their given names James and Benjamin for the very same reason which both hated even more.

They soon caught up with the rest of the family and Jim handed over the pack with Zoe in it to Elisabeth.

Everything looked as if it was going to be ok. What both men had not thought of was two things: first, they were caught on camera, and the presence of INTELLIGENT guards…TOO intelligent for their liking.

"Sirs will you please step this way!" one of the guards ordered.

"There must be some mistake" Jim tried to explain as he watched his family go through the portal.

That´s when Ben´s combat training took over, he punched the guard in the face, and managed to take his pulse rifle. Then, Jim and Ben were running toward the portal, with Jim punching a couple of other guards on the way, Jim ran straight through the portal with Ben right behind him.

…Terra Nova 85 million BC (more or less)…

Jim came out of the portal running and almost fell over from the experience. His lungs drew in clean air for the first time in his life which sent him into slight shock. About three seconds later Ben, almost came flying out off the portal only to crash into him and they both went down in a pile of arms legs and smothered curses.

As they were trying to breathe in the fresh air and untangle from each other someone suddenly shouted "GUN!"

Both Jim and Ben pointed their weapons at the assembled soldiers which they only now realized were surrounding them.

"GET AWAY FROM MY FAMILY!" Jim shouted at them he could see Ben readying his rifle in the corner of his eye.

They saw they were outnumbered, they almost simultaneously dropped the weapons. Jim could see Elisabeth, Josh and Maddy getting help by some doctors but where was the pack with Zoe?

"Check their packs for more weapons!" the officer ordered

"NO!" yelled every member of the Shannon family, as they all got up and ran to the very bag.

One of the soldiers was about to cut open with his knife, Jim got there first and punched the soldier squarely in the face. As Elisabeth opened the pack and revealed little Zoe, the soldiers calmed down significantly.

After everyone had been checked this time, a bit friendlier, the column of people started walking toward the colony escorted by the soldiers. Almost every member of the Shannon family was nervous except Zoe who kept looking up at the sky and just about everything else.

Ben could understand that the poor girl had very seldom if ever been out of the apartment during her short life except. when those thugs from the population law police had come for her.

"What are those?" she asked curiously.

"What are what honey?" asked Elisabeth.

"Those white things in the sky!" said Zoe.

That had Ben looking up, and that´s when he saw those cotton like blobs in the sky. He had only seen pictures of them in school and on old movies but never had he ever seen real actual clouds.

Thanks to all the shit in the atmosphere in the future, the smog layer had become so thick that not even the sun's rays could get through in most places anymore. But here in the pre-historic past, there WAS no smog - no pollution of any kind. He smiled at the thought of it.

"Those are clouds, Pumpkin," Jim answered his youngest daughter, who looked at him.

"They´re so white," Zoe said.

All of a sudden there was the familiar sound of a sonic mine going off and an earsplitting shriek from something very large and very angry, which caused the entire column to stop. They could hear the officers speaking.

"An Allosaur tripped a sonic mine," the male officer said, as the female officer that looked familiar to Ben was talking into her communicator.

He couldn't hear what she said but she kept eyeing the family especially Jim and Ben suspiciously a few times.

They soon cleared the jungle and the rough road they were walking on, and could finally see the colony in a large valley, surrounded by mountains. They could also see what looked like a large lake that seemed to be within the colony´s boundaries.

Well that´s chapter two and a big thank you to Ayziks for Beta and good advice also thank you to doctor Anthony for review and also good advice!

OH and you may have seen that I put in a little something about Philbrick as well as Taylor and Wash into this chapter I just had to!


	3. A Fresh start

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After a nights sleep and everyone is well rested for their new and safer life....right?

Chapter three I hope y'all can enjoy it and please review

As they entered the gates of the settlement Elisabeth looked worriedly at both Jim and Ben "Do you think we might get into trouble over this?" She asked.

Jim shrugged, "Don´t worry. You´re a doctor. Plus, you were recruited here, so they may cut you some slack and I don´t think they´ll make too much fuss over Zoe either," he said reassuringly.

"I, on the other hand, am an escaped convict, and Ben I think is now officially a deserter."

"Whatever happens - we´ll get through it together," Ben said with a smile at Jim and Elisabeth.

As Ben walked past them and made a face at Zoe and Maddy that made both giggle. Ben never once had blamed Jim for leaving for the police academy, even though Jim came home to visit as often as he could.  
After that final beating that practically took their mother away and sent their father to jail, Ben had at first refused to even speak to him for a while, but he later said that he understood why Jim couldn´t always be there for them.

Despite the tragedy Ben had always been cheerful, and had grown up into a fine man. Jim just wished he could have done something to prevent what happened to him before. When Jim and Elisabeth had visited him during the last day at the military youth academy, Ben had looked so proud, and they had all been happy to see each other.

It was a complete shock to both Jim and Elisabeth when they picked him up at the veterans hospital after Somalia. He looked worn out, and his hard grey eyes had a sort of pained - almost self loathing - look in them when they had embraced him. He had started crying uncontrollably into their chests. That was the second time Ben had cried after their mother died, and the first time Jim ever saw him cry. Elisabeth had often said, "Crying is sometimes what is needed before one could start to heal"

Though Ben never spoke of what had happened and rarely smiled, except with the kids, Jim could clearly see that he loved fiercely and they totally adored him.

Many years later after Ben had been wounded and almost died in Cuba, Ben was transferred to the Delta force anti terrorist detachment in Washington. It had still been dangerous work, but at least not as much. Jim was glad. At least here there were no conflicts or terrorists or rebels to fight here. They could truly be a family ALL of them together and maybe they could all help Ben truly heal.

Jim could see that Ben tried to hide it, but both he and Elisabeth could see how he suffered with the nightmares and that classical 'thousand yard stare', which up until then, Jim had thought he would never have to see in the face of his own brother. Even though Ben seemed to have gotten over the worst of it, Jim blamed the government for turning boys into both killers and victims like his brother. He blamed their father for beating them but most of all he blamed himself for failing to help Ben in the first place.

After Commander Taylor's speech, Jim, Elisabeth and Ben was taken into the command center to talk with Taylor. Ben at first had to wait just outside the office and while he waited he watched the children, Josh looked grumpy.

"Not surprising," Ben thought since his girlfriend was still in the future. He also had a lot of resentment after Jim had been taken away to jail. Zoe and Maddy, on the other hand, looked like they couldn´t wait to see more of this place - especially Maddy, who practically jumped up and down out off excitement at all the new things she could learn.

She was considered a child prodigy - a genius. Ben was still amazed at how much knowledge that girl could fit into her head. Sometimes, when she got into one of her explanations, he really felt inferior, but he was proud and he knew she could really make something out of her life.

He noticed a couple of soldiers eyeing her approvingly and scowled at them. He was not blind to the fact that Maddy was growing up to be quite a beauty. She had clearly inherited her mother's looks, but that didn´t stop Ben from feeling suspicious of those soldiers. He knew EXACTLY how soldiers viewed innocent young girls like Maddy. He had seen it all too often among his fellow soldiers in the future. For them it was usually nothing but some sort of sick game. He had broken the nose of a soldier that had said, "Find them, use them, and loose them."

Maddy had been through enough with the bullying at school - a fact that had become all too obvious when Josh had told him that many of the kids called her names like nerd or freak. She had even been physically harassed a few times - something that made Ben furious. The name calling were bad enough, but when it went physical, it was pure cowardice. He himself had been known as a fighter and 'problem kid' in school. There was more than one time that either Jim or Elisabeth - or both - had been called by the principal. He also knew Josh had gotten into a lot of fights over Maddy´s treatment in school.

Ben swore that if anyone tried anything he didn´t like with Maddy or any of the Shannon children, ESPECIALLY those soldiers, he would tear them limb from limb. He was quite sure that both Jim and Josh would help him in such an endeavor. All the other people had been showed to where they would live by soldiers, acting as guides. In the corner of his eye he saw a young soldier that couldn´t be more than eighteen or twenty at the most slowly come walking towards the kids with a friendly smile on his face as soon. As the young man's eyes landed on Maddy, Ben couldn't help but snicker as the boy looked absolutely dumbstruck. Ben couldn´t help but laugh silently as the boy managed to stumble over his own feet nearly falling down, looking like a moron.

"Why did Maddy, or any of the children have to grow up?" he thought, before he realized just how silly the very thought was. He remembered Elisabeth saying something similar when Josh had come home from school one day, and put all his toys into boxes when he met Kara the first time.

At that moment, Elisabeth came out of the office and the male officer ushered Ben inside. He lingered for a few moments to eye the young soldiers as if to warn them telepathically to keep their hands and even eyes to themselves.

As he entered the office he caught the end of the conversation between Taylor and Jim "Agriculture is a man short so I´m assigning you there" Taylor said to Jim.

"My daughter says I have whatever the opposite of a green thumb is…but I´ll do the best I can" he said and left the office after a worried look at Ben.

"Good. At least Jim and Liz seemed to be off the hook," Ben thought before he almost automatically stood at attention as he faced Commander Taylor.

Taylor gave Ben a scrutinizing look before he started, "Benjamin Franklin Shannon: first in the US youth corps, in Somalia, after which you got promoted to corporal, and then Cuba and later transferred to Delta force where you were promoted to Sergeant"

He seemed to be going through Ben's entire life, Ben groaned at the name was named after - one of the USA's founding fathers. That had given him a LOT of grief in school.

"What I don´t get is why someone that was decorated for bravery TWICE - first in Somalia and then later in Cuba - would go AWOL, and then help an escaped fugitive through the portal."

Taylor continued with a disapproving frown, as he burrowed his eyes into Ben´s own, but Ben didn´t flinch. Taylor seemed to pick up on this, as the corner of his mouth twitched with only the slightest smile,

"I did what I did for my brother and his family sir. If you are going to punish someone, then punish me and leave them out of this" Ben said with all the confidence he could muster.

Taylor's smile grew wider, "Your brother said something similar about you" he said approvingly.

"You sure have come a long ways since Somalia son" he said.

Then it all fell into place. Commander Nathaniel Taylor.

Ben had heard Maddy ramble all sorts of facts about Terra Nova, and had then mentioned Taylor being in command here.

"The last time I saw you, you were in Heartbreak Valley. It was my unit that found the remains of your youth company after Axis psi-ops had screwed y'all over" Taylor said with only the slightest hint of anger in his voice.

Ben understood why Axis psi-ops had committed numerous war crimes not only in Somalia but elsewhere. Somalia was then one of the few places in the world where the air was still clean enough to breathe, so of course there had been heavy fighting over it and Heartbreak Valley. It had been named such by the soldiers, because of the very same screwed up operation that still caused Ben and so many other young soldiers a few nightmares now and then.

Then Ben noticed the female officer with lieutenant insignia on her shoulder pads standing on Taylor's right side and he finally recognized her as then-Sergeant Alicia Washington, "I remember now sir. I forgot to thank you for that sir" Ben said.

"No need. It was our duty. I´m only saddened we didn't come sooner. Plus you were kind of out of it at that moment. I´m surprised you remember anything at all," Taylor said with a hard look in his face.

"Anyway for going AWOL, I´m of half a mind to put you on latrine duty until the next age"

That comment about latrine duty actually made Ben loose his composure, and he cringed a bit, which made both Taylor and Washington crack a smile, "BUT since you DID do it for the right moral reason, and since I don´t care much for those population laws" Taylor said the last with some disdain.

"Plus we can actually use more good soldiers around here, so I´ll give you a chance to prove yourself. If you can drag your sorry ass back up here at O eight hundred in the morning I´ll think about it. Until then you go help your family get settled" Taylor said.

Ben saluted both of them out of habit, which felt a bit awkward, since he was wearing civilian clothes and said, "Yes sir."

He turned around and walked out of the office and down the stairs to his family who looked at him.

"I half expected you to come out of there with an armed escort," Josh blurted out only, to get smacked in the back of his head by Maddy.

"How come you always have a knack for saying the wrong things, Josh?" she said with an annoyed look on her face.

"Well at least I breathe some between sentences" Josh teased her.

Ben smiled at their bantering. Despite all the wrongs in the future, Josh, Maddy and Zoe was still innocent, and he would do anything to keep it that way for as long as possible.

They followed the young soldier that looked very tensed.

"Christ that kid looks nervous. If he farts he´ll go into orbit!" Ben thought.

He noticed that even Maddy kept throwing the kid a few glances whenever she thought the guy wasn´t looking and of course vice versa. That almost sent him into a laughing fit.

"YEP she´s growing up - but don´t you DARE get frisky, boy," he thought.

He wondered if Jim or Elisabeth had noticed. Jim seemed completely oblivious, but then again he hadn´t seen the kids in two years. In his eyes Maddy was still fourteen.

When they finally got to the house, the soldier said with a slight accent that was barely noticeable, "Your quarters are here in the newer parts of the settlement. Some of these units aren´t quite finished. Most haven´t even been painted yet."

He continued telling them of a store further down the street, "If you need anything, just let us know."

He marched off after an all too obvious glance at Maddy, which Ben was half sure she must´ve picked up, as her face started getting red as a ripe tomato.

As they entered the house, Ben smiled as Maddy and Josh started a small bickering about who gets the bigger room.

"There´s no room for me" Zoe said with an innocent whine.

"We´ll figure something out sweetie," Jim said reassuringly to her, which made her look down to the floor sadly.

"She doesn´t know me," Jim said.

"It´s been two years last time she saw you. She was barely three," Elisabeth said.

Jim crouched down to Zoe´s level.

"Right we need to find a bed for ...what´s your name again?" Jim asked Zoe jokingly.

She just looked at Elisabeth and then at Jim.

"Oh yeah that´s right - Martha - so we need to..." Jim said as Zoe shook her head at him.

"Oh oh right - it´s Priscilla," he said which made Zoe start giggling and shake her head even more fiercely.

"Not Priscilla, huh?" Jim mock asked again, with a goofy look on his face by now

Both Maddy and Josh started peeking out from the rooms they were examining and everyone except Josh was smiling widely.

Jim snapped his fingers, "Oh. Wait, I´ve got. It´s Zoe! Yeah."

Zoe nodded and smiled even wider.

"Well hi Zoe. My name´s Alfredo and it's pleasure to meet you," Jim introduced himself, and Zoe started to shake her head again and she giggled.

"What?" Jim asked in mock surprise.

"No it´s not," Zoe said.

"Well what is it?" Jim asked his smile growing wider.

"Daddy," Zoe said matter of factually and Jim kissed her forehead.

Then Maddy settled the room dispute, since she and Zoe would share the bigger room, which caused a scowl on Josh´s face.

"I´ll go look at that store down the street and check out what they have there," Ben said, who was already examining the cupboards in the kitchen, and found those nasty protein shakes he had in the service.

Of course had a LOT worse during his tour in Somalia. Some fool had found some fruit trees and had passed them around which had caused Ben´s entire platoon to be taken out of action for a near week half in the infirmary. The other half practically occupying the latrine. He remembered actually longing for all that lovely smog at home since they, after that week, had to clean up after themselves. The platoon had been given all sorts of less-than-kind nicknames.

As Ben walked out, he could hear Josh saying something in an angry voice that he didn´t pick up on.  
He saw Zoe suddenly walking up to the fence. What he saw her walking towards was what almost made him freak out. It was he biggest damn animal he had ever seen (not that there were many animals left in 2149) to even reference with. He started running as he saw Zoe walk closer to whatever the HELL that overgrown lizard was, and Zoe was actually feeding the damn thing as she held a branch with some leaves on it and held onto it.

"ZOE!" he yelled, as the lizard took a bite out of the branch and literally lifted the girl up

"ZOE!" Ben heard Jim shout as he reached Zoe. He caught her as she let go of the branch, and looked at him and the others as if it was the easiest thing in the world and smiled at them.

As they later went to bed Ben and Jim came into an argument over who would sleep on the couch, and who would sleep on the floor. Zoe was going to sleep in the main bedroom with Elisabeth as she had been doing for the past two years in future, since they had to wait until the next day at least before they could get an extra bed for her.

"Ok let´s play rock paper scissors" Jim said smiling mischievously at Ben.

"Why? You always cheat anyway?!" Ben said.

"It´s impossible to cheat at THAT" Jim said.

"OH you´ll find a way," Ben said with a half smile, "Besides I always get to sleep on the floor" he continued.

"Nah I always let you take the better bunk," Jim said and Ben relented.

They played the game and of course Ben lost.

"Well I guess when I get to your age I´ll forget where I sleep too," Ben grumbled, which made Elisabeth smile at their antics. She could clearly see that both Ben and Jim were more at ease fooling around like that. It was like they were bonding as brothers again.

When Ben came home from Somalia, he had changed. Before when he was still a boy, she had managed to bond with him, and he was more open with his feelings around her than with Jim. At first, she knew Ben had some issues with Jim leaving when Ben was only eight years old. He seemed to have forgiven him later on, but she also knew Jim had felt guilty for not being there all the time, other than the few visits once in a while, whenever he could, and those few times he brought Elisabeth with him.

But after Somalia he had kept whatever emotions he had hidden, except that one time in the hospital, where he literally broke down in tears into their arms. As Elisabeth was trained in psychology as well as medicine, she could see he was in pain.

"Some wounds never heal, unless one gets help, and even then it is not certain," she thought.

She had, ever since he left at fifteen, felt guilty but also felt pride at his sense of responsibility towards the family and he never once complained. After Somalia, he had a look of being broken inside. The only thing that seemed to even bring some calm and even a smile to his face was Josh and Maddy.

At the ceremony where Ben was decorated for bravery that horrid General Philbrick had said: "You went to war as a boy and came back a man."

Elisabeth could´ve slapped the man for that.

"He had whatever innocence he had left stolen from him in that horrible place," she had thought angrily.

She had her father pull a lot of strings to get him to the veteran's hospital in Chicago after he got wounded in Cuba, so she could make sure he was given the best possible care. She volunteered to work there as well.

She was glad that Jim had gotten work on the agricultural detail, and she hoped Ben had gotten something similar. They had all gone through a couple of rough years after Jim was arrested. She had also found out about what Maddy had lived through in school - something that had made Ben literally fly off the handle. It was all she could do to prevent him from charging off and killing someone when he had found out that Maddy had been physically harassed. When Elisabeth had been recruited to Terra Nova, she had found out that Josh had gotten into a lot of fights trying to protect his sister. That´s when Elisabeth had decided that they would ALL go.

"Please God let us heal and be a family again," she whispered.

Terra Nova was their second chance for all of them as a family after all.

It was their BEST chance…..

OK that was chapter three I'd like some reviews on how you thought of it! Thanks to Ayziks for Beta and advice, Read Ayziks work too.


	4. New Place old jobs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben meets an old "friend" and is given a chance by Commander Taylor

NEW PLACE OLD JOBS

 

The russo-chinese soldiers just kept coming at him, he had long since run out of ammo for his pulse rifle and were now using his combat knife he had taken from that Phoenix merc he had been forced to kill a couple of weeks earlier.  
He stabbed one soldier several times only to get pounced by another and then another he kept on killing until the haze lifted from his eyes and all of a sudden the enemy soldiers were gone replaced by at least a dozen soldiers from his own youth platoon and then he saw the blood on his knife , his hands there was blood all over him the blood of HIS COMRADES men he had trained and fought with   
“My god what have I done?” he whimpered and then he screamed.  
Ben jackknifed to a sitting position breathing fast and shivering and looked around the room and soon realized where he was, in the Shannon house in Terra Nova on the floor beside the couch Jim was still sleeping in and as before the nightmares receded to the darker corners of his mind where they belonged.

“Uncle Ben?” he heard a feminine whisper, as he turned around he could see Maddy standing in the kitchen she was still in her nightgown she looked at him worriedly

“you ok?” she asked worry etched on her gentle face,

“I´m ok sweetie but what are you doing out bed?” he asked back,

“It´s six O clock and orientation starts at eight are you sure you´re ok?” she asked again 

“Hey I´m fine I was just still not used to the new house”

he answered as he started to get up and rolled up his sleeping bag,

at THAT moment Jim finally decided to wake up and looked bleary eyed at first him and then Maddy 

“what time is it?” he asked

“about O six hundred hours” Ben answered 

“I´m gonna go for a quick run before breakfast” he continued 

“just wait I´ll join you” Jim said and got up himself and stretched.

As both men dressed and then walked out Maddy couldn´t help but be amazed at how much alike they were, both where well trained and muscled from years of work out though the scars on Ben´s body clearly gave him away plus his eyes had this hard grey tone to them unlike her dad´s bright blue ones and he moved differently more like some predator on the prowl then she wondered if that young soldier was built similarly he looked rather muscled under that tight green army shirt he´d been wearing, that thought made her blush and she hoped Ben and most of all her dad had NOT seen how she had glanced at the soldier yesterday she didn´t know why all of a sudden some boy was so interesting but she couldn´t get his strong kind features out of her mind why would him or any boy be interested in me anyway? She thought as she started off to the bathroom and the shower, everyone in the family had told her that she WAS beautiful and had nothing to be ashamed of but it wasn´t the beauty that scared the boys away it was usually whenever she opened her mouth that people started looking at her like she was some freak the pretty nerd she´d been called a few times she was used to the name calling but it still hurt nonetheless.

She thought of Ben and how easily he shrugged off whatever nightmare must´ve been plaguing him when she had entered the living room he had been tossing and turning in the sleeping bag and even whimpering totally unlike how he behaved around the children she knew he had such nightmares before through the years and then as now he had simply shrugged off any concerns of her and the rest of the family both her parents just had a sad even guilty look in their eyes whenever anyone had asked but had said nothing as to WHAT it was that bothered him especially her dad had looked as if he felt directly responsible.

Maddy knew that Ben had been taken away when she was still an infant and enrolled into some youth academy that to her sounded like those schools that had been active in the old twentieth century nations Soviet Russia and Nazi Germany she´d read about in history and the boys that came out of those schools were fanatical murderers but Ben was NOTHING like that.

Josh was the last one to wake up as usual and was everything BUT amused when Jim and Ben had literally dragged him out of bed and carried him into the shower which thanks to Maddy by now had only ICE COLD water running from it, both Elisabeth and Maddy had to place their hands over Zoe´s ears as to prevent her from hearing all the profanities coming from Josh at the same time as they were both laughing hard, when Josh finally came out shivering with cold and Jim waited outside as Ben had managed to arm-wrestle Jim into letting him use the shower first, after everyone had showered and dressed themselves and off course all three Shannon men almost looked blue from the cold showering they all went off to their various activities Jim caught Elisabeth in a strong hug and a long kiss 

“Eeew” Zoe said in disgust and giggled

“yeah giggles I agree” Ben said laughing 

“Giggles?” Zoe asked and looked up at him 

“yeah that´s your new pet name Giggles because you look so awfully cute when you do just that” Ben said with a wide smile 

“you´re silly” Zoe said and giggled again,

which made also Maddy smile as she was trying to take in her surroundings searching for a certain young soldier, Josh simply rolled his eyes at all of them.  
As Jim and Ben walked off and Jim punching Ben´s arm, Elisabeth turned and looked at Maddy

“well don´t you look nice sweetheart any particular reason?”   
she asked and smiled as Maddy blushed heavily so Maddy quickly changed the subject 

“mom?! Dad and Uncle Ben seem happier now and you and Dad seem more happier as well”

she said, they had all noticed that both Jim and Ben goofing around as Josh had grumbled earlier, 

“it´s this place it´s already good for us”

Elisabeth answered and smiled at Maddy´s attempt at changing the subject off course she had noticed the young man eyeing Maddy nervously the day before 

“well sweethearts I need to get to the infirmary and get started on my new job you three take care and watch Zoe” she said as she walked toward the infirmary.  
Mark Reynolds had never truly been interested in girls, true he noticed them but thought there were more important things to do and then yesterday he saw her, he couldn´t understand why THIS particular girl all but spellbound him so, her hair looked pitch black and her skin had this amazingly golden hew to it no doubt from her mixed heritage and her eyes appeared brown as far as he could see.   
So here he was looking around for her like some stalker, he hoped he wouldn´t have to meet her father which frankly made him uneasy to say the least and that uncle of hers that kept staring at him with those piercing eyes of his, just her father looked more than capable but the other man looked like he must have been a soldier or something similar because of the way he moved and the fact that he also somehow managed to both keep an eye on the surroundings as if he was looking for possible threats and the other eye watching Mark intently as if he KNEW that Mark was looking at his niece.

Then he saw her just past the school house and heard the little one speaking of feeding the dinosaurs again and the only dinosaurs that had been near the colony for a couple of days now was the small herd of brachiosauri and THAT he knew something about at least maybe he could impress the girl with that then he noticed how she looked and just like the day before he was all but completely dumbstruck… she looked pretty without even trying and all of a sudden Mark felt as if his knees was going to buckle under him …He felt very uneasy something he couldn´t explain why, she was wearing a pale red dress that reached almost down to her knees,

“oh you do huh?” he said as he walked up to them 

“maybe not a very good idea though”

the little one looked up at him and smiled and her sister swirled around which made her hair fly around a bit as well Mark had to concentrate NOT to stare at her like some moron 

“you see whenever dinosaurs eat too much they get really sleepy and when they do the snore REAL loud” he continued as he crouched down to the little girls level,

he could see in the corner of his eyes that the older girl smiled shyly and seemed to be blushing as she looked at him as he rose and smiled at her, and then she started to ramble about that brachiosauri wasn´t true herbivores and a lot of other things about them that Mark could´ve never have guessed in a million years if he had been dumbstruck before was nothing to how he felt NOW.

WOW she´s smart how could I even hope of having any chance with this girl she is so far above me I´d need a rocket just to get halfway he thought as his heart almost stopped with despair but kept smiling as best as he could “oookay well maybe I´ll see you two later” he said as steady as he could at least he hoped he did and turned and walked off he wasn´t sure but he thought he heard her say something he just hoped he hadn´t scared her off by behaving like such a moron, maybe he could ask Wash for help she was after all a woman and might give him a few pointers on what girls might find attractive or Commander Taylor HE after all had been married so he should know how to get a girl interested shouldn´t he? This time around he got a better look at her,  
her hair wasn´t pitch black but very close to it, and her eyes was brown and seemed to have a tinge of amber in them and that smile was incredible 

“Kill me now” Maddy said,

off course the first gorgeous boy she meets in Terra Nova and as usual she just HAD to scare him away by opening her mouth, maybe she could ask Uncle Ben for advise he´d been a soldier maybe he knew what soldiers found attractive in a girl or her mom SHE after all had to know how to get a boy interested?   
Maddy just hoped he was nice and not like the boys at home,   
at least she got a better look at him this time he had the same sort of short cropped hair as Ben only Ben´s hair was more curled like her dad´s and his eyes they looked as if there were three different colors battling it out in them she thought she could make out a little blue mixed in with green and also grey and that smile of his was amazing.

After having waved off Jim as he turned towards the agricultural department Ben headed straight for the command center he checked his watch and felt content he was making good time with at least fifteen minutes to spare, as he was walking up the stairs he heard a voice he hadn´t heard for near five years not since Cuba, 

“well well well look what the nyko just dragged in” someone said in a heavy British accent which made Ben spin around

“hello Nick I thought you were in jail?” Ben said with barely held back contempt 

“why is THAT any way to speak to an old friend?” Nick asked with that slippery voice of his, 

as he said friend Ben could hear the contempt in his voice “we were NEVER friends Nick ESPECIALLY not after what you did and I´ll ask again why aren´t you in jail where you belong?” Ben asked,   
he could feel his anger rising he tried his best to keep it down,

“well let´s just say I had friends in high places even got me recruited to Terra Nova as you can see…Benji!” Nick said with a playful tone, 

Ben and Nick had trained at the Youth academy and then served together in Somalia and later in Cuba, Nick had raped a young girl on the army base where they were first stationed in Cuba, and Ben had testified against him at the court-martial and Nick had been sent to military prison camp in North Dakota, Nick casually swiped his hand through his bleach blonde hair and looked at Ben with those almost red eyes the man was almost albino looking, despite that he may have been considered descent looking if not for the scar running across his face cutting his nose all but in half, a scar Ben had given him in Somalia after Nick had raped and murdered several women the sight of it was something he would never forget and one of the worst recurring nightmares Ben still had, Ben had tried to get him prosecuted then but their CO had dropped the charges thanks to a lack of evidence afterwards Ben had beaten the living shit out of him and THAT was when he gave him the scar but thanks to several friends Ben had narrowly avoided a court martial himself that had been only two weeks before Heartbreak valley.  
Ben gathered up all the self control he still had and turned to walk up the steps to Taylor’s office when suddenly Nick grabbed his shoulder 

“DON´T TURN YOUR BACK TO ME you self righteous wanker” he said and now all that false charm was gone

“I KNOW what you did but I wonder what that lovely family of yours would say if they knew that you had butchered almost half your platoon?”

Ben grabbed Nick and pushed him into the wall “You stay the hell away from my family you piece of shit” Ben growled, 

 

“Is there a problem mister Shannon” asked Washington in her stern voice,

 

both men turned toward her and straightened into attention “no ma’am nothing at all” Ben said quickly 

 

“Smythe?” she asked Nick 

 

“why nothing at all ma’am” Nick said his false charm back in place as if nothing had happened, 

 

“then I´d suggest you get ready for your OTG mission sergeant, outpost three needs those supplies” she ordered Nick 

 

“Yes ma’am” Nick said and saluted and turned around and marched off towards the motor pool,

 

Washington turned toward Ben “the Commander is waiting Shannon get to it” she said 

 

“yes ma’am” he answered and walked quickly up the stairs and into Taylors office,

 

Wash first looked after Smythe and then at Shannon she didn´t know what that had been about but there was some definite history and obviously some bad blood between the two men, she had caught the end of their conversation about Ben killing his own men she knew what had happened when her unit commanded by then captain Taylor had reached Heartbreak valley they had found that many not just Ben Shannon´s unit had turned on each other because of the hallucinogenic and paranoia inducing compound.

Ben Shannon like all those fortunate to survive was cleared off all blame afterwards she still remembered seeing the gruesome scenes Ben Shannon´s platoon wasn´t the only one an entire battalion of soldiers had literally butchered one and other Ben Shannon was one of only twenty six soldiers that had survived and all of them according to the psyche files she´d been reading had severe PTSD afterwards she had read Ben´s file and saw the other things, according to his own testimony he had walked in on another soldier from one of these Youth platoons that had raped and cut open some tribal women.

Youth platoons she thought using so called unwanted kids as gun fodder was detestable at best after she had read Ben Shannon´s psyche profile about his rehabilitation she questioned the Commander if possibly hiring him into the TN security detail was such a good idea the man had seen way too much butchery at a young age to give him PTSD to last a lifetime though he may have been one of the few lucky ones most of the others had been legally unwanted with suicide in most cases but Shannon had been a special case he had a family that at least had taken care of him a good and mostly law abiding family what with the third child and all and then off course there was that with the man’s father having been an abusive drunkard that had killed his mother and beaten him half to death.

Alicia shook her head at all the cruelty in the future and prehistoric worlds and walked in after him she would just have to keep an eye on him and apparently this Nicholas Smythe as well it would seem, she didn´t know much about Smythe other than that he was a complete scumbag to call him a chauvinist pig would have been a severe insult to the now extinct animal in question.  
As Ben walked into Taylors office and stood at attention “reporting as requested sir and I have to apologize for my lack of appropriate apparel I seem to have forgotten my uniform somewhere” he said which made Taylor smile a little 

“at ease son, I´ve been going through your file and you have had a distinguished career except that business at the end apparently, a congressional medal of honor for saving some high officers among them general Philbrick in Mogadishu a couple of purple hearts and then a bronze star in Cuba together with another couple of purple hearts” he said,

Ben´s medals was still in his pack once he was proud of them now he almost felt sick when everyone told him what a hero he was he sure as hell didn´t feel like one,

“I´m willing to draw a blank slate over this AWOL business and reinstate you as a sergeant on the TN security detail and as such you´d have your own house but since those are in short supply right now you´d have to bunk in the main barracks because I do believe the Shannon house is a little crowded right now, so you accept?” Taylor asked 

“Yes sir” Ben answered, 

“Good you´ll be in command off second and third squads under direct command of Lieutenant Washington here” Ben saluted Taylor and then turned around and saluted Washington who saluted back. 

“Right then you go get yer stuff and then report to the quartermaster at the barracks to get your uniform and equipment” Taylor ordered and Ben saluted and turned and left the office, 

“great now all I have to do is figure out a way to tell Jim and Liz” he thought, he KNEW they would NOT be happy about his decision to join the military again and he didn´t want to put them through anymore pain because of him, he had seen it in their faces when he left for the academy and then for Somalia and finally for Cuba but here in the prehistoric world there were no wars to fight so he figured it wasn´t so bad, after all soldiering was all he knew,

and off course playing on his fiddle but that couldn´t get him an income and he didn´t want to live on Jim and Elisabeth.  
He decided to go to the barracks first and get himself acquainted with the place.

As he was about to enter the barracks he saw that young soldier from the day before, the one that had stared at Maddy,  
the boy stopped and looked at him suspiciously. 

“Excuse me sir but this area is restricted, Military personnel only” he said.

“Oh me? I´m a new recruit I´m looking for the quarter master” Ben said questioningly.

“It´s the first door to the right” the soldier said and looked as if he had been caught with his hand in the proverbial cookie jar 

“Thanks. By the way, what´s your name kid?” Ben asked.

“Corporal Mark Reynolds, Mister Shannon right?” Reynolds asked in return.

“One of them at least” Ben answered.

“See you later I guess” Reynolds said now with an awkward look in his face and marched off.

Ben entered the barracks and knocked on the quartermaster’s door, it opened to reveal a rather short and stocky man similar to a dwarf from those twenty first century movies about some ring or something.

“Are you the quarter master?” Ben asked,

“THIS is the quartermaster’s room and THIS is the quartermaster’s door so OFFCOURSE I must be the quarter master and THAT is the quartermaster’s dinner getting cold” the quartermaster said with a hard gravel like voice and annoyance clear in his tone as he pointed to the plate off food at the table behind him.

“I was ordered to report to you by Commander Taylor” Ben said.  
“Aha Taylor radioed you´d be dropping by, well sorry for my lousy mood sergeant if I don´t eat I get cranky, Quartermaster Vincent Cronkite” he said and gave a salute which Ben returned.

“Sergeant Ben Shannon” he replied it felt strangely good  
“Well let´s see I´m supposed to outfit you with a uniform, combat armor, side arm and a room befitting your rank” Cronkite said and led Ben to the supply room where he started handing over the mentioned equipment and later showed him to his room.

“Here we are just sign for it and the gear” Cronkite said.  
Ben did as he was told “Thanks, I´ll be back later this afternoon I need to get some things first” Ben said.  
“Sure thing sonny” Cronkite replied.

“Oh and could you get the files on whatever subordinates I´ll be having?”

“No problem” Cronkite answered

 

As Ben left the barracks he heard a gunshot coming from the direction of the command center and ran over,   
when he got there he saw one dirty man being wrestled to the ground by Jim,

As Ben got closer some soldiers came over to where Jim was pinning the man to the ground and helped him hoist the man up and secured him.

As the dirty man were taken away Ben saw Jim talk to the commander who approached him,  
and as Jim and the commander got into a rover the male officer Ben now knew as lieutenant Guzman walked up toward Ben.  
“What was that about sir?” Ben asked.  
Guzman shrugged “Carter? He´s a sixer” he answered  
“Sixer?”  
“You´ll be briefed at eighteen hundred hours about that, aren´t you supposed to report to the barracks?”  
“Already have sir I´m on my way to the house to pick up my things”  
“Then get to it sergeant”  
“Yes sir” Ben said as he saluted.

Ben went straight to the house and entered and found to his relief that it was empty, he quickly picked up his pack. “I hope Jim doesn’t do anything stupid as Liz will have her hands full freaking out about me” he thought as he left after a last look.

When he returned to his room at the barracks he quickly changed into his uniform and strapped his side arm to his thigh and turned and noticed the files he requested on a small table,  
there were two corporals under his command one was a very promising female corporal named Anna Reilly and a male corporal by the name of…..He just couldn´t help but start laughing  
“This is too good to be true” he said to himself as the name and picture of Marcus Reynolds was there on the pad he stared at the name when there was an alarm sounding through the barracks,  
he jumped up and ran out of his room and out of the barracks nearly toppling Cronkite,

“Hey watch it” Cronkite hollered after him.

Well outside he saw other soldiers running towards the main gate,

“What´s all the commotion about soldier?” he yelled at a soldier with red orange hair with a small balding spot on the top of the head.

“Sixers at the main gate” the soldier yelled back.

Ben ran toward the main gate where he found chaos he could see the tower guards firing their sonic cannons at some big walking fang factory of a dinosaur….Big and ugly bastard,  
but that was not what had him worried what worried him was the presence of two shabby looking rhino rovers standing inside the gate and there were people pouring out off them….People with weapons and they did NOT look like soldiers at all, they looked more like tribal their clothes were dirty and unkempt, and they were pointing their weapons at the soldiers of Terra Nova.

Ben could also see civilians and knew if there was a firefight they could potentially get caught in the crossfire, he could see Elisabeth, Maddy and Zoe trying to hide behind a market stall with Corporal Reynolds right beside Maddy.

He concentrated on the matter at hand and drew his pistol and pointed it at the enemy he was quickly flanked by several other soldiers likewise pointing their weapons at what could only be these Sixers .

He could hear Taylor talk to a stern but beautiful dark skinned woman with tribal braids in her long hair, “She looks like an Amazon” he thought.

“Lower your weapons Mira” Taylor said.

“You first” Mira countered

“You´re outnumbered” Taylor growled.

“Then what´re you afraid of?” Mira taunted.

“What do you want Mira?” Taylor snarled this time.

“We want our man back” Mira answered.

“Look we know he´s in your brig” she continued.

“How do you know that?” Taylor said tauntingly.

“Maybe we still got a few friends left in Terra Nova?” Mira answered.

“Maybe I´ll have a sit down with Carter and talk about some of these friends” Taylor said.

It all almost went downhill at that point as a sixer raised his weapon and shouted: “WE WANT CARTER YOU SON OF A BITCH!”

Sonic and pulse rifles were raised and pointing in all directions until both Mira and Taylor calmed things down, It was then that Ben noticed Jim standing beside Taylor a few meters and off course Jim noticed him too and they both raised an eyebrow at each other.

It seemed Taylor and Mira had come to an agreement she wanted Carter some meds and ammo, Taylor agreed on everything but the ammo at which Mira replied: “Can´t blame a girl for trying”.

After that Jim came over to Ben and his face did NOT look happy,

“WHAT THE F..?” Jim started but stopped himself as they now noticed Elisabeth, Maddy and Zoe coming at them worry etched in their faces.

“Ben I thought you were through with the military?” Elisabeth asked angrily.

“Well Commander Taylor sort of re instated me, Liz!” Ben answered sheepishly.

“And WHEN did THIS happen?” Jim growled at him. Elisabeth turned her focus on him now,

“And why where YOU out here with a Gun in your hand Jim?” she asked.

“Well Taylor sort of asked me to become the new sheriff of Terra Nova” Jim answered equally as sheepishly as Ben,

And they both cringed as Elisabeth stared at them with anger but most off all disappointment in her eyes.

Taylor walked up to them, he couldn´t say he was envious of the two Shannon men being lectured like that, maybe he should have talked it over with Shannon’s wife BEFORE hiring either man?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks Ayziks for beta and thanks doctor Anthony for advise and I do advise you all to read both their work And having talked with doctor Anthony there may soon come little surprise in the following chapters for those off you that have read doctor anthony’s work which BTW I do recommend that you read!


	5. Welcome to Paradise

As Taylor Watched both Shannon men get berated by the much smaller but no less fierce Doctor Elisabeth Shannon he did NOT envy them he had to stifle a chuckle as both Jim and Ben started to look like as if they wanted to sink through the ground.

 

Though as much as this was enjoyable Taylor needed to speed things up and get the supplies Mira wanted so she and her people could be out of here, he didn´t like having them here threatening his people.

“Hey Doc, I´m sorry about interrupting the family debate but could you help with the meds?”

With a this is not over look at Jim and Ben, Elisabeth turned to Taylor,

“Yes off course” she said.

Elisabeth was still fuming as she was overseeing the nurses packing the iso-biotics into a box with some other medicine.

“Sorry you had to get mixed up in that Doc” Taylor said to her, Elisabeth almost jumped with surprise.

“Could I please ask you to be careful with my husband and brother in law?” she pleaded, 

“I mean you hiring them is between you and them, and I understand you may need such men as them …but I´m the one who stays up worrying for them, and this family have been through so much pain lately”, she continued.

“Don´t worry Doc, they look like they can handle themselves” Taylor said,

He had to admit this was one hell of a woman; he already had some degree of admiration for this family from what he’d read about in their files, they’d managed to stick together as a family despite all the crap the world had thrown at them …unlike his own family.

After the problem at the gate Maddy decided to take Zoe home, as they walked away she turned around and found that the young soldier had disappeared, that he had been there so close and unarmed other than with a knife to protect them in danger almost made her swoon.

As she looked around she saw her dad and uncle arguing no doubt about Ben rejoining the military and her dad becoming sheriff, who made it sound like one of those old western movies.

 

She knew Ben had been a soldier and the scars in his face and other places that he had most likely been wounded in combat, she had seen his medals she understood he must have done some brave things to earn those, yet he never spoke of the wars,   
she remembered her parents worrying about him, 

she knew war was a terrible thing indeed from what she´d read about it.

Plus it was this that they refused to even mention their father, her grandfather, all she knew was that he had also been a soldier. Maybe he died in some other war? She decided to check on that on her plex?  
Maddy wondered if that handsome young soldier had been in a war yet…..”WHAT is wrong with me? I can´t seem to get him out of my mind!” She thought.

 

“I thought you were through with the military, Ben?” Jim asked angrily.

“OH YEAH? What about YOU then Sherriff?” Ben asked annoyed.

“OH NO YOU DON´T! DON´T you DARE turn this around on me little brother, I accepted so I could help keep both Terra Nova AND our family safe”, Jim practically growled

“I had the same reason, and here is not the best place to have this argument Jim”, Ben said

“It´s what I do Ben, being a cop is what I am” Jim said.

“As being a soldier is what I am Jim, You´re losing the high ground here, big brother” Ben shot back.

“Don´t go into military mode with me Ben” Jim said half heartedly,

He knew his argument was getting weaker after all he couldn´t stop Ben from doing what he wanted, he just didn´t want to have to worry about him like when Ben was in Somalia or Cuba, Jim felt as if he was failing his brother again, but he understood why Ben would do this and was proud off him for it.

Mira watched as the two men argued, she couldn´t hear what they were saying but she could clearly see the resemblance, she approached them casually.

“You two are new here right?” she asked almost teasingly.

The two men looked at her and there was a hint off a nod from the both off them.

“Welcome to paradise” she said mockingly at them.

After the sixers had gotten what they wanted they drove off, and the soldiers calmed down significantly, Ben went back to the barracks, he met Cronkite just outside,

“Cronkite, could you summon corporals Reilly and Reynolds? I might as well get acquainted with them” he said.

“Yes I´ll do just that Shannon”, Cronkite replied and followed him in.

Ben went to his room and finished unpacking, he examined his knife and put it on his table, then he picked up his fiddle and looked at it with affection, he played a few notes on it and adjusted the strings somewhat, it felt like ages since he played on it but the feel of it was still familiar in his hands as he played a little tune from the magic flute which was an ancient opera, Elisabeth, Maddy and Zoe loved this piece.

A knock on the door brought him out off his daydream; he put the fiddle down and opened the door to reveal a young good looking woman in uniform,

“Corporal Reilly reporting as ordered sir” she said while standing at attention and saluted him,

“At ease corporal, please enter” he said, and let her in.

“Corporal Anna Reilly, It says here that you´ve been trained as a demo expert?” he asked.

“Well it´s more off a hobby sir” she answered.

“Some hobby! But with these sixers I guess there aren’t many dull moments?”

“No sir, there aren´t” Reilly answered,

At that moment there was a knock on the door again,

“Yes?” Ben answered

The door opened to reveal Corporal Reynolds who when he saw Ben looked at him wide eyed,

“SHIT!! He´s my new CO?” Mark Thought, as he stood at attention,

“Corporal Reynolds reporting as ordered, sir” Mark said and saluted, he could feel a little knot in his stomach as those steel grey eyes looked at him.

“Well that´ll be all Reilly your squad has the late shift tonight so I expect to see you and your squad ready for duty in forty minutes, dismissed” Ben said, as Reilly saluted and walked out to let Reynolds in.

“At ease corporal” he said to Reynolds who put his hands on his back but still looked tensed, even though Ben felt a little mischievous enjoyment at making him squirm he decided to cut the kid some slack.

“Corporal Marcus Reynolds top of your class in the US youth academy, then were recruited to Terra Nova and came on the fifth pilgrimage at age fourteen” Ben said as he went through Reynolds file,

“It says you were enrolled at the academy at thirteen, just after the death of your grandfather right?” he asked,

“Yes sir” Reynolds answered, with a barely noticeable wince.

“You were recruited by Commander Taylor personally in 2144 the time of the fifth, so you didn´t serve in the Youth corps then?”

“No sir” Reynolds answered.

“Also you are apparently quite skilled in hand to hand combat, AND can handle a knife very well, that´s quite a résumé for someone so young”.

“Thank you sir” Reynolds said stoically.

“You´re welcome Reynolds, and thank you for coming despite your night off” Ben replied.

Ben’s com beeped “Shannon” he answered into it,

“You´re needed at the command center sergeant” the voice of Lieutenant Washington said in the com,

“Be there in ten” he replied,

“Well corporal, you´re dismissed for tonight” he said to Reynolds who seemed to have calmed down significantly and saluted before turning to leave.

Later when Ben got to the command center after having sent off Reilly and her squad on their patrol of the compound he noticed there was a lot off commotion as he approached and found Jim arguing with Elisabeth over which off them should go with Taylor.

“What´s going on?” he asked as he walked up to them

“It´s Josh, he apparently went outside the gates in to the jungle” Jim said with both anger and worry in his voice, 

Ben felt a knot in his stomach, “Why the hell would he do that?” he asked Jim who looked away guiltily.

“Sergeant I need you to stay here with lieutenant Okuda” Taylor ordered,

“Yes sir…but?” Ben asked unsurely,

“No buts sergeant” Taylor shot back with a stern voice that did not allow for any objections.

Then Elisabeth and Jim started arguing again over who should go with until Taylor silenced them both,

“THAT’S ENOUGH BOTH OFF YA RIDE WITH ME!!” Taylor roared.

The convoy moved off as Ben stared after them.

Mark had first intended to go back to his room, when he met sergeant Cronkite with an even more severe scowl on his face than usual, they sued to call him sergeant sourpuss behind his back since the man simply would never smile.

“Damn those dumbass kids always sneaking out” Cronkite growled mostly to himself,

“What´s up sarge?” Mark asked, as Cronkite turned his scowl at him,

“Some stupid kids took a rover and snuck out ….AGAIN!” he growled,

“Which ones?” Mark asked, still politely, 

“The usual suspects plus one of the new arrivals that Shannon kid”,

Mark felt his spine practically freeze at the thought off the eldest Shannon daughter out there in the jungle.

“Which Shannon kid?” he asked worriedly,

“Josh Shannon I believe, the commander and both parents just went out to bring them back”.

At that Mark was off running towards the command center, as he got there he nearly crashed into Sergeant Shannon who was on his way down the stairs, with a face that made Mark think of a thunder cloud complete with lightning’s coming out of his eyes though there was also worry in his eyes, Shannon didn’t seem to take notice off him as Mark ran passed him and into the office, where he found lieutenant Okuda watching the screens.

“Anything I can do sir?” he asked standing at attention.

“Reynolds aren’t you supposed to be off duty?” Okuda asked in surprise.

“Yes sir but I heard what happened and came to see if there´s anything I can do to help”, Mark answered. 

“I met Sergeant Shannon on the way up” he continued.

“Yeah he´s pissed that his nephew went OTG and his brother and sister in law decided to both go as well to look for him” Okuda said, looking at Mark, “Actually there could be something you COULD do” he continued eyeing Mark thoughtfully.

“Yes sir anything sir” Mark answered,

“I need someone to go and check on the remaining Shannon kids, and make sure they are alright, sergeant Shannon wanted to, but he’s on patrol just in case the sixers try anything now with the commander and Wash OTG”, Okuda said.

If Okuda didn’t know better he could’ve sworn Reynolds eyes just lit up.

“Yes sir, I can do that” Mark said and saluted and then turned around and ran out.

By the time he got to the Shannon house he had slowed down to walking to catch his breath, He didn’t want to be out of breath when talking to her.

Mark knocked on the door and after a few moments it opened and the eldest daughter looked up at him with those beautiful eyes,

“Hey” she said. Again Mark felt as if his knees were going to betray him.

“I just came by to make sure everything was okay” he said and scolded himself “Off course it´s NOT okay she may lose her brother and her parents are out there as well” He thought angrily.

“We haven’t heard from the convoy yet” and again he gave himself a mental smack, as he saw her eyes starting to moist, “But it´s probably only a matter of time before they find them, and bring them home safe!” he continued reassuringly, he saw she began to calm down somewhat, but he still felt like a moron,

“Look if there’s anything you need just let us know” he said and turned to leave,

“Don’t go” she blurted out with a hint of desperation in her voice that made his heart ache, he turned back and faced her,

“Yes?” he asked,

“Could you please stay, because Zoe is scared” she said adding the last part quickly,

Mark looked down at the little girl Zoe that didn’t look scared, though she did look up at the other girl and looked worried, it was more likely the elder girl was scared, Mark could see it in her eyes as she seemed to struggle to keep the tears he could clearly see in them.

“Alright” he said calmly and smiled at her, he felt he wanted to keep her safe from all the troubles in the world, “What the hell is wrong with me?” he thought.

“Please come in” she said, Mark thought it was the least he could do was keep them company.

“I´m Mark Reynolds by the way” he introduced himself.

“Maddy Shannon, it´s actually short for Madelyn but everyone calls me Maddy because Madelyn feels a bit too formal” She rambled, 

Mark found that awfully adorable when she does,

“Well my full name is Marcus but I prefer to be called Mark” he said

At that they both seemed to blush.

Zoe could never understand why grownups behave like this; she had seen how her parents acted together, so why didn’t Maddy and this Mark act the same if they liked each other?

But Zoe decided she liked Mark, he looked nice, Maddy had said he looked cute and even gorgeous which to Zoe was a grownup word, Zoe was glad that he came by because Maddy even though she tried to hide it looked scared, Zoe didn’t know about what but she loved her older sister and tried her best to cheer her up, but now Mark was here, And now they both were just standing there and staring at each other so Zoe decided to act,

“Do you want to see my dinosaurs” she asked and looked up at Mark who looked at her and smiled warmly.

Zoe took their hands and led them to hers and Maddy’s room and showed her stuffed dinosaurs to Mark, soon however Zoe fell asleep and Mark and Maddy walked out into the living room where they talked about everything, Maddy was worried that Marcus or Mark would get bored by her rambling but he showed no hint off being so, rather the contrary he seemed to get more interested when she sprouted a bunch of facts about what she knew.   
Mark talked about his life in the TN security and the life he had before coming to Terra Nova, when he mentioned his time in the Youth academy she seemed to freeze,

“Something wrong” he asked,

“My uncle, Ben was in this Youth corps” she answered,

“Most of the soldiers here have been in the Youth academy; Commander Taylor personally recruited most of us”,

“How come you were there” Maddy asked, but immediately regretted asking as Marks eyes turned a hard grey and for the slightest moment he looked as if remembering something painful, had she offended him somehow?

“My grandfather died when I was barely thirteen and since I had no other relatives I was enrolled in the academy” he answered,

Maddy felt a pang of pain as she looked him over, she knew whatever Ben painful past Ben had it was mainly because of the Youth academy and the wars he had fought in afterwards, “But Mark is so young he cannot have been in a war yet” she thought as the tears that had been suppressed earlier started to sting in her eyes, she could almost imagine Mark with the same set of scars in his handsome face as Ben had.

Mark saw her eyes starting to moist again when he mentioned his academy days and his grandfather dying. 

“Crap I was supposed to make her feel better NOT worse” he thought annoyed with himself.

“But I guess I was lucky the commander recruited me” he said quickly and smiled at her,

“But what about you, you seem very gifted” he asked which earned him a shy smile in return,

She started talking of her school years, until they heard the front door open and saw her parents and Josh and Ben together with Commander Taylor standing outside.

As the family reunited Mark shook hands with Mister Shannon and received a hug from Doctor Shannon who thanked him for checking on her daughters, after which Mark left the house together with commander Taylor and sergeant Shannon he could literally feel the sergeant ‘s eyes bore into his back.

“Good that you checked on the daughters, Okuda told me” Taylor said, Mark just couldn’t wait any longer,

“Sir how do you court a lady” he asked, and turned towards Taylor.

Taylor looked absolutely flabbergasted and Sergeant Shannon made a bunch off half choked sounds.


	6. Old Friends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An old friend almost brother to Jim and Ben shows up as well as an old enemy of Ben's.

As if Ben didn’t have enough on his mind with Josh running off, not to mention Jim and Elisabeth getting angry about him joining the TN security and above all meeting that bastard Smythe after all these years.  
And now THIS! Ben just KNEW it had to be Maddy this young punk was referring to about courting, he simply huffed to himself, as the commander got over his initial surprise and looked at Reynolds a smirk starting to form on his lips.  
“Anyone in particular you’re referring to son?” He asked, Now Reynolds started to blush all over.  
“I…err…” Reynolds started. By now Taylor’s smile was impossibly wide.  
“Well speak up son.” Taylor said with a very amused tone,  
“Well sir, it’s Madelyn Shannon.” Reynolds finally stuttered out.  
“The boy is certainly brave, ESPECIALLY with the girl’s uncle right beside us.” Taylor thought as he saw Ben Shannon in his peripheral vision, he wasn’t looking directly at Reynolds but Taylor knew the man had heard what Reynolds said, he could see the man tense.  
“I better get back to my patrol sir.” Shannon said with a salute to Taylor and started off.  
Reynolds seemed to calm down somewhat, but then Shannon turned around,  
“Oh Reynolds, we’ll have a TALK in the morning about this.” he said with an ominous tone.  
And it was all Taylor could do NOT to start laughing, “Poor kid, he’ll be having a rough ride courting this girl.” he thought amused, as he told Reynolds how to best court a lady. Taylor saw Reynolds almost as a son and sometimes he wished he was his son rather than….  
***  
The rest of the patrol went rather well, even though he was still in denial that Maddy had actually caught the eye of that Reynolds kid, though he understood he shouldn’t be angry at him for it,  
“Maybe if I got to know him better BEFORE I judge him” he thought as he walked beside Reilly.  
“Reilly, how well do you know Reynolds?” he asked in a casual tone, at least he hoped it was.  
“He’s dutiful, and by the book, a good man sir” she answered,  
“How is he around women” Ben asked,  
“I wouldn’t know sir since I’ve never even seen him with one” Reilly said and chuckled,   
“we actually thought he preferred guys instead”, she said awkwardly.  
“Excuse me?” Ben asked,  
“Well you know sir it’s a small community and Reynolds is sort of a favourite among the girls here but he’s never shown any interest in any of them” She replied.  
“Thanks anyway corporal, you turn in and get some rest” he said.  
“You´re welcome sir” she said and walked toward her room.  
***  
Ben walked into his room and undressed, he smiled when he thought of how Jim would react to the fact that his little girl wasn’t so little anymore, at least he could make sure that Reynolds wouldn’t be like the ordinary soldier who usually takes advantage of girls.   
He fell asleep easily, but the nightmares returned as they usually did, once again he was in that small house in Somalia with all those butchered women, Smythe and one of those Phoenix thugs had already walked out, he saw movement on a nearby table, it was a young woman, he walked up to her fumbling for his canteen and tried to get her to drink, all of a sudden her hand came at him and scratched him in the face.  
“Why?” she asked faintly and then closed her eyes in death.  
Ben sat up in his bed and wiped the sweat from his face, he looked at his watch, it was just six O’clock in the morning, at seven thirty he was supposed to review his squads and report to Lieutenant Washington for a short OTG mission to a relay station just outside the fence.  
He got up and looked at himself in the mirror and remembered the dream as he watched the set of three parallel scars that went from his right brow over his right eye down to his cheek his eye had not been damaged as he had closed it reflexively when the woman scratched him, her dying word still echoing in his mind, “Why?”.  
He dressed in his uniform, except his jacket and went for a quick run around the compound, at least something he could enjoy here as it allowed him to clear his mind and get more familiar with the settlement. When he got back he showered and then dressed in his full uniform and checked his watch it was still a few minutes until seven O’clock, he stepped outside and met corporal Reilly and he saw Reynolds coming out from his room further down the hall, they both stood at attention and he nodded at them and then walked into the bunk area where both squads was still catching Z’s, apparently some from Reynolds’s squad had gone directly to some bar and had come back somewhat drunk the night before, Ben understood the need for some soldiers to unwind like that, even though he frowned heavily upon it personally thanks to his own experiences.

Ben checked his watch it was nearly seven, he turned to Reilly and Reynolds with a slight smirk on his face,  
“Wake them up” he ordered, he knew well the necessity to drum in discipline into soldiers and keep it that way, no one ever said being a soldier was glamorous. Reilly hit the bugle button.  
As the men got up, some with a few grunts and groans thanks to hangover from the night before.   
They stood at attention as he walked down the line of both squads,  
“What a bunch of apes” he said disapprovingly at the bleary eyed look most had, especially those that had clear signs of hangovers.  
“Reilly, Reynolds, I’ll be reporting to Lieutenant Washington for assignment, I want both squads outside the barracks and ready when I return” he ordered.  
“Yes sir” they both said.  
Ben marched quickly to the command centre, just as he was about to walk up the steps to the main office he heard a familiar voice calling his name,  
“Ben, Ben Shannon?” Ben turned around with a faint smirk on his lips,  
“Kono?” he blurted out before standing at attention as he noticed the lieutenant’s insignia on the man’s uniform,  
“Ah at ease Bennyboy” Kono said with an embarrassed look in his face,  
“When did you get recruited?” Kono continued,  
“Came with the tenth sir, but I wasn’t actually recruited sir” Ben answered, as they both walked up the steps to the office.  
“How so?” Kono asked, and Ben gave a short version of the events leading to his family coming to Terra Nova which had Kono laugh out loud,  
“YOU mister BY THE BOOK Ben Shannon not only broke military protocol by going AWOL but you also broke several laws to get here?” he said laughing, but when he heard the reason for it all he frowned,  
“Good, at least that your family is out of that hellhole,” he said approvingly,  
“I’ll go and catch up with Jim, Liz and the kids as soon as I’ve made my report” he continued,  
As both men entered the office, Ben stood at attention but Kono simply waved at Washington, apparently Taylor was out,  
“Hey Alicia” he greeted with a mischievous smile which earned him a slight scowl from Washington before she turned to Ben.  
“At ease sergeant” she said,  
“Your assignment has been changed though this is strictly volunteer duty”, She said,  
“What ma’am?” he asked,  
“I will be leading this morning’s survival training with all the newcomers and I’ll need a few more soldiers for security, I’ve already drafted a few men from your squads including Reynolds” She said with a smirk at Ben’s barely audible groan.  
“I’ll do it ma’am” he said.  
“Good I want you at the main gate at O eight hundred hours, dismissed” she ordered.  
After Ben had left and Kono had submitted his report, Washington turned to Kono,  
“I heard you two outside, how do you know the Shannon’s if I may ask?”  
“Me and his brother Jim have been best friends since kindergarten, and Ben and I served together as you know in Somalia but also in Cuba” Kono answered,   
“And what about this sergeant Smythe?” she asked, and Kono’s face darkens.  
“Scumbag of the age?” he asked, anger in his features,  
“I saw them outside the day before and there seems to be a lot of bad blood between them, it seemed as Smythe was taunting him!?” she answered.  
“And Ben didn’t kill him?” Kono exclaims with a mixture of surprise, rage and humour in his voice.  
”I’ve gone through both of their files, and other than them serving together and Smythe was convicted of rape there is nothing”, she said,  
“Though there seems to be some files that are classified on both of them”, she continued.  
“I don’t think I should say anything unless the commander orders it, the Shannon family have been through enough pain as it is”, Kono said apologetically and left abruptly.  
Washington stared after him, surprised at what he said and the way he almost snapped at her.  
***  
When Ben got back to the barracks both squads were standing at attention, some still with clear signs of hangover in the hot summer sun,  
“Okay, it looks we’ll be part of the guard detail for this morning’s survival training, so I want those of you that will be volunteering for that to step forward”, Almost half of Reynolds squad stepped forward together with most of Reilly’s plus off course the two corporals in question.  
“Okay, I want everyone in combat gear in exactly five minutes, the rest can clean the barracks” he ordered, as the soldiers marched quickly into the barracks to get their gear, Ben went and got his combat gear and also strapped his knife on his back, since it was too big for his thigh.  
As they got to the gate, there were already a number of civilians waiting among them his nephew and nieces, Maddy and Zoe waived at him and he nodded to them, Josh was his usual grumpy self but nodded as well.  
Lieutenant Washington showed up at nearly eight and the training could begin, Ben prowled around the civilians with his squads all spread out and occasionally giving a helping hand, he saw Reynolds kneeling down to help Maddy light a fire and every time they accidentally touched she was absolutely glowing at Reynolds, “Why couldn’t she fall for some geek that’d crap himself every time me or Jim looked at him?” he thought miserably, though what he had read and heard about him, Reynolds seemed a good kid, Ben had read the briefing about those courting rules and he approved of them, but he still needed to talk to Reynolds, “Jim is going to SHIT when he finds out” he thought.  
***  
At the lunch break Ben approached Reynolds,  
“I’d like to know what your intentions are regarding my niece Reynolds?” he said and held back a smirk as Reynolds tensed.  
“Strictly honourable sir and I will not start courting in earnest until I get permission from her father” Reynolds said nervously,  
“You DO know that the hardest nut to crack is always the father right? Ben said, in the corner of his eye he could see Maddy looking at them,  
“Just so we’re clear, whatever temper my brother has it is NOTHING compared to mine plus I have fought in two separate wars”, he continued, Reynolds looked even more nervous.  
“But as long as you behave completely honourable, you’ll have no problem with me is that understood soldier?” he asked.  
“Yes sir” Reynolds answered,  
“Good then what are you waiting for soldier? She’s waiting for you” Ben said with a smirk,   
as Reynolds turned to walk up to Maddy Ben added; “Oh Reynolds? You STILL have to ask permission from her parents, except from that I expect you to follow the rules of courtship to the LETTER!”  
“Yes sir” Reynolds said with a salute and actually looked happy.  
The rest of the survival training went rather well though Ben DID have to contain his smirk when Washington showed the class about eating grubs.  
***  
Afterwards as Ben had some free time he decided to go see Jim and Elisabeth when he came to the house he could hear laughing coming from inside, when he got in he saw Jim and Kono talking and drinking coffee,   
“Well I told ya Jimmyboy, you have absolutely nothing to worry about” Kono said before noticing Ben, “look here he is, back from the mornings arduous guard duty,” he said theatrically,  
“It wasn’t that bad”, Ben said stoically,  
“I heard you ran into an old friend at the command centre yesterday?” Kono said,  
“Old friend?” Ben asked,  
“Smythe” Kono replied, at that Ben’s eyes darkened  
“He’s NOT a friend” Ben retorted,  
“Just what I meant, I’ll make sure he behaves”, Kono said,  
“I can handle Smythe sir”, Ben shot back  
“Something I’m missing?” Jim asked.  
“Nothing at all Jim” Ben snapped.  
Elisabeth came out of the master bedroom, and when she saw Ben her face lit up,  
“Ben, we haven’t seen you since yesterday?” she asked,  
“I was busy getting settled in the barracks” he answered, and smiled as Zoe barrelled in nearly crashing into his legs, Ben caught her and lifted up on his hip as she hugged him.  
“Uncle Ben Uncle Ben Uncle Ben” she gibbered.  
“Yeah that’s my name don’t wear it out giggles” he laughed and kissed her forehead.  
At the sight of this Kono laughed as well, “Good thing his family have been here for him” he thought as he remembered when he together with his unit under the command of Taylor had found him sitting in the middle off the dead bodies of the rest of his platoon and Ben staring at nothing.  
At that moment the door opened and Maddy came in and turned at the man behind her.  
“Thank you for following me home mister Reynolds” she said with a beaming smile,  
“My pleasure, Miss Shannon” Reynolds said with an almost equal smile.  
At that Jim looked up, “Isn’t that the young boy that was in the house the other day?” he asked suspiciously, which made Maddy blush and again looked awfully like a tomato.  
“Yes daddy”, she said, trying to reel in her blush,  
“Maddy’s acting really silly” Zoe piped up. By now Ben was struggling at keeping his laughter back, Jim just looked at him obliviously which caused Elisabeth to start laughing.  
At that moment Maddy saw Kono, and ran into him,  
“Uncle Kono” she squealed and hugged him,  
“Wait a minute THIS can’t be little Maddy, last time I saw YOU, you were in diapers”, which made Maddy giggle,  
“And if she gets any prettier she’ll be dangerous” he continued chuckling,  
“She already is……potentially to a certain young soldier” Ben thought with a raised eyebrow at Maddy who suspected what he was thinking and started blushing again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well that’s chapter 6 please review.  
> And also thanks to Doctor Anthony for letting me borrow the character Kono Lao which you can read about in “New beginnings and reunions”.


	7. Birds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben's decision to join TN security causes some problems within the family.
> 
> And Ben also is suspicious about young Corporal Reynolds about his interest in Maddy...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These early chapters was a little mushed up together.

They had talked for a while when Ben’s com beeped and he was summoned to the command centre for new assignment.  
“Sorry guys I need to go” he said and turned to leave but Jim put a hand on his shoulder,  
“You just look after yourself now little brother” Jim said and smiled which Ben returned faintly.  
“Trust me Jimmyboy I will” he retorted teasingly.  
Jim and Kono talked about old times, they hadn’t seen Kono ever since he got recruited to go to Terra Nova.  
“I can’t remember Ben actually joking around this much” Jim said with a smile.  
“What do you mean?” Kono asked.  
“Mostly all we saw him do at home was just nod, except with the kids, who seemed to get an actual smile out of him now and then” Jim answered.  
“Kono, ever since he came back from Somalia he was more like a ghost, the military simply called it the Somalia syndrome” Elisabeth said worriedly  
“I really shouldn’t be the one to tell you, I don’t know the whole story but all I can say is that it was chemical weapons” Kono sighed.  
This made Jim and Elisabeth gasp, especially Elisabeth that also looked furious.  
“But chemical Warfare has been illegal since the 20th century?” she asked angrily.  
“Tell that to Axis psi ops” Kono answered with a grimace.  
***  
As her parents and Kono talked Maddy was using her Plex to hack into the Eye, she knew it was forbidden even illegal, but she HAD to know why Uncle Ben was so tight lipped about his past,  
when she hit a lot of encrypted files;  
\----AUTHORIZATION GENERAL RICHARD PHILBRICK ONLY----  
After fruitlessly trying to hack Ben’s core files she found some pictures from his earlier life, one was a police picture taken when he was a little boy, he looked beaten and bruised, in the corner it was written; DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIM, Maddy was absolutely shocked at what she read that Ben and her dad’s own father HER GRANDFATHER had beaten both of them and their mother and the last time their father had apparently killed their mother and nearly beaten Ben to death, tears started welling up in her eyes at the thought of this. 

But this couldn’t be all there was so Maddy kept searching.  
There were lots of pictures of when he was enrolled into the academy and when he graduated, she recognized a few that the family had kept but then saw some of what was apparently his early service in Somalia, there were some of him and boys and girls from his unit even one where he was decorated for bravery by saving some general, but then she saw a picture of him with bleeding eyes and a blank look, as if he was crying tears of blood, she couldn’t look more and terminated the connection.  
***  
Ben went back to the command centre, he took a short detour through the market to buy something to eat, when he got there Wash was on the radio.  
“Lieutenant Okuda, do you read?” she said with worry in her voice.  
“Something wrong, ma’am?” Ben asked.  
“Lieutenant Okuda’s team was delivering supplies to outpost three they were supposed to have checked in by now” she answered.  
“Should we go out and look for them? “ He asked.  
“No but if we don’t hear from them in two hours we’ll have too, they had a flat tire last night so they may only be a little late” she answered.  
“Well I’m here for my assignment ma’am” Ben said standing at ease.  
“Yes, relay station five is frizzing again, take three soldiers and go check it out.” she ordered.  
“Yes ma’am” he said and turned around and left.  
Ben ate his late breakfast on the way to the barracks, when he got there some of the soldiers were lounging about with seemingly nothing better to do.  
“I need three volunteers, to go with me to relay station five.” he said, “Dunham, O’Mara and Jackson, you three make perfect volunteers, grab your gear and meet me outside in five minutes.” he ordered.  
The men groaned but did as they were told, while Ben got his gear in his room.  
When he came out the men was ready and they all marched off to the motor pool.  
They signed out for a rover and went on their way out the gates.  
Ben’s first OTG were going to be interesting, when they got to relay-station five they found a dead nykoraptor laying outside the door.  
“Looks like it’s been pecked to death by birds or something” Ben said after examining it.  
As they searched the area, and Dunham and Jackson examined the damage to the relay there was a sound from the nearby trees, Ben scanned the tree line suspiciously,  
“What was that?” Dunham said nervously,  
Ben turned to his com unit,  
“This is Sergeant Shannon at relay station five to Terra Nova, over?” it took a few seconds before the radio crackled to life and he could hear Lieutenant Washington’s voice,  
“This is Terra Nova, how’s the damage?” Wash asked.  
“The antennae seems trashed and we also found a dead Nyko at the door, seems to have been pecked to death by birds or something.” Ben Answered.  
“Can it be fixed?” Wash asked, Ben looked questioningly at Dunham and Jackson who shook their heads.  
“That’s a neg Lieutenant; we’ll need some more equipment for that” Ben answered.  
In the command centre Wash was still talking to Shannon when both Commander Taylor and Sheriff Shannon walked in with grave news that Lieutenant Okuda’s team had been ambushed and killed by unknown assailants.  
“There any teams out there today Wash?” Taylor asked, she nodded  
“Yes sir, Sergeant Shannon’s out there with a small team to fix relay station five.”, she answered  
“But he says they’ll need more equipment, apparently, the antennae are a total loss.” she continued.  
“Is he still on?” Taylor asked, Washington handed him the com,  
“Sergeant Shannon you still there?” Taylor asked,  
“Yes sir.”, came the reply.  
“Anything else to report, son?”  
“Other than a dead nyko that looks like it’s been pecked to death by some birds, then no sir.”, Ben answered.  
Then all of a sudden there was some loud shouting in the background then followed by discharging of sonic rifles.  
***  
As Ben was talking to the commander, O’Mara came running out of the jungle screaming and trying to get off something that was clinging to his helmet,  
“GET THIS FUCKING THING OFF OF ME!!” he shouted, Ben let go of the com and ran over to him and grabbed what looked like some small reptile with wings, Ben broke its neck with ease and removed it from O’Mara’s helmet.  
“Relax O’Mara, you scream like a girl.” Dunham taunted.  
“Shut up, and keep your eyes on the tree line instead.” Ben snapped at him.  
Then all of a sudden there was loud screeching from the jungle, after that a pack of those reptiles came flying at them.  
With little else to do they started firing off their sonic rifles; finally the birds relented and flew off.  
Ben then grabbed the com.  
“Sorry about the delay sir, we had a little bird trouble”, Ben said into the com.  
“Everyone alright?” Taylor asked.  
“A few cuts nothing serious sir, though O’Mara may need a fresh pair of shorts.” Ben stated to a mild laughter from the others except O’Mara who scowled at them.  
“Fix it as soon as possible sergeant, I don’t want any teams getting killed like Okuda’s team got last night.”, Taylor said  
“What happened sir?” Ben asked  
“You’ll be briefed on that when you return sergeant, Terra Nova out.” Taylor said and cut the com.  
It took a couple of hours until new equipment arrived, and the work could finally begin except for a few screeches the birds didn’t come back.  
“I remember that screeching from last night.” Jackson said, “Hell, maybe them birds got spooked when O’Mara blew a fart? They can be really loud not to mention very smelly, you know? Silent but deadly.” he continued, to laughter from Dunham.  
“Fuck you Jackson.” O’Mara retorted angrily,  
“Ok, THAT’S enough.” Ben said but couldn’t help smirking as well at their bantering.  
***  
It was getting dark when they finally got back inside the gates, after dismissing the men Ben went straight to the command centre,  
when he got to Taylors offices the commander turned to him,  
“What was that about birds, sergeant?” he asked  
“Some pre historic birds got spooked and decided to try and attack us, but we scared them off sir.” Ben answered, “Nothing all that dangerous sir, and we got the job done.” he continued,  
“Lieutenant Okuda and his team got killed last night.” Taylor stated,  
“What, how?” Ben asked  
“We don’t know yet, I’ve suspended all long range OTG missions, until we can figure out who or what killed lieutenant Okuda and his team.” Taylor explained,  
“I want more perimeter patrols, I want half our squads on this, and I want your squads on standby sergeant.” Taylor ordered,  
“Yes sir, we’ll be ready.” Ben declared.  
“Good tell your men to rest up, everyone is to stay in the barracks unless there’s an emergency.” Taylor ordered.  
“Dismissed sergeant.” he continued,  
“Yes sir.” Ben acknowledged, saluted and walked out of the office, he hit his com,  
“Reynolds, Reilly.” he called into the com, Reilly answered almost immediately, Reynolds took a while longer than that.  
“Round up your squads and get them back to the barracks ASAP, and then report to me.” he ordered,  
Reilly came in first and knocked in Ben’s door,  
“Enter” he said, and Reilly stepped in, “No Reynolds yet?” Ben asked, Reilly simply shook her head,  
“We’ll give him a few more minutes then, shall we?!” Ben said, and decided to strike up a conversation just to make time go faster,  
“So what were you doing before you came here?” he asked,  
“I was in the youth program since I was sixteen sir.” Reilly answered with a surprised look in her face,  
“I was too, I heard Taylor managed to get a lot of kids out of that shit.” Ben said,  
“The commander requested soldiers from the program specifically, other than Lieutenants Washington, Guzman and Lao and a few others almost all the soldiers came out of the youth program sir.” Reilly said.  
They continued to talk like that for about twenty minutes until there was a knock on the door.  
“Enter.” Ben said, and Reynolds came in,  
“WELL Reynolds, I’m sorry to drag you away from your busy schedule.” Ben said annoyed,  
“Sorry sir, I was helping someone.” Mark excused himself,  
“Well anyway we and both squads have been placed on standby, for guard duty, and all of us are to rest up and be prepared for anything.” Ben said,  
“AND, above all we are to stay IN the barracks.” he finished with a hard look on Reynolds.  
The day went uneventful, as security waited for a possible attack, sixer or otherwise that never came.  
…  
…  
…  
That night as so many nights before the nightmares came, only this time the Russo-chinese soldiers did not turn into his dead comrades, they instead turned into his family, he was standing in the Shannon house and they were all around him…..DEAD, him with his bloody knife in his hands, suddenly Jim raised his head and stared at him,  
“I should have figured you’d become like dad, Ben.” he said accusingly,  
“Why did you kill us Ben?” Elisabeth asked,  
“I thought you loved us, Uncle Ben?” Maddy cried,  
Now Josh and Zoe stood up as well, they also opened their mouths to speak but instead off words a high pitched shriek came from them.  
***  
Ben woke up panting, sweat soaking him, the nightmare was gone but there was still shrieking going on…a LOT off it, he got out of his bed and walked out in only his boxers and a t-shirt, it seemed many of his squads had also heard the shrieking and were looking tiredly out of the windows.  
There were dozens of those birds outside all over the fence some were even sweeping down over the barracks, Ben ordered the soldiers to grab sonic weapons and took one himself and opened the door to the barracks and started firing into the air at the birds other soldiers that were passing by did the same until the birds flew off.  
“Could it have been these that killed Okuda’s team?” He thought he checked his watch it was almost four in the morning; he got his comm., and called the command centre,  
“Sergeant Shannon to command over?” He called; it didn’t take long for him to get an answer,  
“This is Taylor; I was just about to call you sergeant” Taylor answered,  
“Sir, there was just an attack by those birds that attacked me and my men at the relay station yesterday, we managed to drive them off.” Ben said.  
“There’s been more attacks son, they attacked the sheriff and his son outside the Shannon house-BUT don’t worry they are both alright and being checked at the infirmary, I need you to start gearing up your squads, I want at least one of them at the main gate and the other at the infirmary” Taylor said,.  
“Yes sir” Ben answered, and immediately called over Reynolds and Reilly,  
“Reilly, Reynolds both your squads are to be prepped and ready for action, Reilly your squad will patrol at the infirmary, Reynolds your squad will patrol near the main gate and the market”  
“Yes sir” both answered and started getting their squads ready.


End file.
